By Which We Fight
by Ryu-Hogosha
Summary: A sudden storm brings shadows onto Reanai island, and the two survivors must find a way back to each other. Along the way, they will be called upon to protect new worlds from the growing threat of the Heartless. R&R!
1. The Storm

****

Author's Note:

(This is my first attempt at writing a KH fic, but this is not my first attempt at writing period. I've been writing about 4 years now, and some of the first really lacked in detail. I've since gone back and redone most of them and am currently in the process of redoing the others. For this fic, I followed Rem-chan's example of first making an outline of the story, which REALLY helps. Thank you Rem-chan!! Your fics are great!

Griff, Tasha, and the Isle of Reanai are of my creation, but you have my permission to use them in your own fics, should you so desire. I do not claim the rights to Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, or any other Square game. Enjoy!)

Chapter One

****************

The sun sank slowly beneath the horizon, painting the sky vermilion and gold. The subtle breeze wafted its way down the beach as the waves slowly broke over the shore. Laying on the sand, his eyes closed, was an eighteen-year-old youth by the name of Gideon Lombardi, also known as Griff, due to his fondness for the mythical Hippogriff, a creature with the body of a horse, and the head and wings of an eagle. His normally shoulder-length, raven-dark hair had been tied back in a small ponytail, for the purpose of cooling his neck. The water played a soothing melody in his ears, and he slowly began to drift into a light sleep. His peace was soon interrupted by the sound of giggling above him. Griff opened his grayish-green eyes, and found himself staring into the sapphire orbs that belonged to Tasha Aurin, a year younger than he, and the girl he loved deeply. She knew it, too. After she had arrived on the Isle of Reanai two years prior, he had been the one to show her around. He was her first friend, and it quickly grew into much more. Brandt, the only village on Reanai, was small. However, it had been steadily increasing in size for three years, and showed no signs of slowing anytime soon. Tasha smiled down at Griff, before suddenly dumping a bucket of water on his head. "Hey!" the young man sputtered. He quickly sat up and turned around, ready to give Tasha what was coming to her, but she was already running away, occasionally turning to smile at him and laugh. Griff smiled also. Getting to his feet, he gave chase, each step kicking sand into the air behind him as he ran.

Tasha ran around a thick copse of trees, and Griff, in an attempt to cut her off, leapt into the trees. Jumping over numerous ferns, he followed her giggling and came out the other side, tackling her to the sand, both laughing. He rolled over so that he was laying partially on top of her, their bodies heaving with laughter. Tasha lifted her head just enough for her lips to briefly meet his. Trying to shake sand out of hair just as dark as Griff's, she turned her head to look at the horizon. "We're missing the sunset," she said, smiling. Griff smiled back. "There'll be another one tomorrow." He kissed her again, and she returned it, closing her eyes. What the two of them failed to notice, was that slowly, a bright object began to streak through the atmosphere.

**********

"Your Highness! Come quick!"

The urgency in Daisy's voice quickly brought Minnie Mouse outside of her castle, running hurriedly over to Daisy's side. "What is it, Daisy?" Minnie asked. She then followed Daisy's gaze to the night sky, where Daisy had her finger pointed to a faint star almost directly overhead. The star glimmered brightly, then suddenly went dim for a moment, brightening again before it slowly started to fade. Minnie gasped. "Oh, no..." she whispered.

**********

Griff rolled off of Tasha, laying beside her on the sand, both of them staring up at the stars. Tasha sighed and laid her head on Griff's bare and slightly muscled chest, his shirt on the ground nearby. "Wow," she whispered, gazing at the falling meteor. "Nice, huh?" Griff replied. "Bet you this kind of thing happens only once every hundred years or so..." Tasha sat up, straightening her shirt and trying her best to brush and shake the sand out. In the distance, thunder rumbled. "We'd better get inside," she said softly. Griff crawled and picked up his shirt, shaking the sand out before finally putting it on. By this time, forks of lightning danced across the horizon, and the two began to hurry off the beach and into the village, the storm drawing closer. Tasha's home was just inside the gates, and Griff walked her to the door. With a good-night kiss, she went inside. As her door closed, Griff looked up to the sky. The moon was quickly disappearing, as if something were throwing a thick veil over it, taking away the light. Griff turned from Tasha's hut and raced down the street a ways until he reached his own, a small, rounded hut on stilts, with a set of stairs leading to the door. The storm was upon them, and, as ferocious as it sounded, there was no wind, no rain, only noise and lightning. Griff climbed the stairs two at a time, and threw himself inside. Having seen numerous storms all his life, there was something about this one that bothered him. He couldn't place the feeling that kept nagging at him, like something was very wrong. He lay down on his cot and stared at the ceiling, trying his best not to think about the weather. He had been told once by the village elder, that if you worry too much, you'll end up without any hair very early in life. Griff sat up and stared out the window, at the inky blackness beyond. From the corner of his eye, something moved, like a shadow. He looked at it, and a pair of eerie, yellow eyes looked right back.

More shadows appeared, each one staring directly at him, then they slowly began to take shape. The eyes rose from the shadows, forming rounded heads with zigzagged antennae, short arms, a small body, and stumpy legs. The shadows and he stared at each other for a moment, then the shadows moved all at once, quickly converging on him. Griff raised his hands in a defensive posture, and threw a punch at the first to come within range. He connected solidly, and the creature fell backward into a few of its comrades. Looking to his right, at the foot of his cot, was a long box. Turning his attention back to the shadows, he aimed a kick right to the head of the nearest, and sent it flying backward. Griff dove for the box, and found it firmly locked. Cursing under his breath, he turned back to face the shadows, which were almost within reach of his legs. Grabbing one, Griff raised it over his head and used the unfortunate creature to swat away a large number of them before bringing it down hard on the wooden box. The container splintered at one end, and the shadow in his hands disintegrated, as if made of dust. Reaching into the box, he pulled out a weapon that looked very much like a staff, with blades on the end that curved in opposite directions. Gripping his swallow firmly in his hands, the young man faced the shadows once more. When they came within striking-distance, he attacked, striking low with his weapon in a long arc from right to left. Four shadows disappeared, having been cut neatly in half. More of them approached, and Griff spun around, using his momentum to cleave half a dozen more. Even before they fully vanished, more began to appear. Thinking quickly, Griff made a dash out the door, leaping down the steps and landing hard, taking the air from his lungs. Standing up, he looked back at his hut. Shadows began spilling out the door. Looking to his right, toward the village center, he saw more shadows appearing in the street. They advanced quickly, running awkwardly on their stubby legs. Griff prepared for battle, when a scream pierced the air, coming from behind him.

Tasha!

Griff spun on his heels and ran in the direction of the village gates.

**********

Tasha pressed herself against the back wall of her hut. Her father Vek stood in front of her with a sword drawn, as if daring the group of shadows that stood before them to come closer. All at once, the shadows sprung, leaping onto Vek and forcing him to the floor. "Daddy!" Tasha screamed. The man cried out as a bright light began to glow on his chest. A red light emerged and hovered in the air above him. At that moment, the door flew open, and Griff appeared in the doorway. Looking down, the youth's eyes widened. "Vek!" he shouted, trying to pry the mass of creatures off of the older man. Vek was barely able to lift his head to acknowledge him. "Griff, get Tasha out of here!" Tasha shook her head. "Daddy, no!" Almost immediately, the red light vanished, as if something had snatched it from existence. Vek's eyes rolled into his head, and he went limp. "Daddy!!" Tasha lunged for her fallen father, only to be pulled back by Griff. "There's nothing we can do now," he said calmly. "C'mon. We've got to get out of here!" The shadows that had attacked Vek had now turned their heads toward the two of them. Wrapping one arm around Tasha's waist, Griff made a break for the door. Tasha was unable to take her eyes off of her father, even as the shadows began to move in. She beat at Griff's arm, struggling to be let go, but Griff held her tight. The shadows began to emerge from every nook and cranny around them. Taking Tasha firmly by the hand, Griff broke into a run, heading for the docks. Up ahead, their hope bobbed in the water, still tied to the pier. Griff ran faster, with Tasha on his heels. A dark shape burst upward from the sand, and Griff fell backward, landing hard on his rump.

The form that now confronted them was different from the ones that they had been running from. This one was large, three times Griff's size, and more muscular. It had no other features, save for its eyes, two yellow orbs that seemed to peer straight into Griff's soul. In a heartbeat, the battle ensued. Griff held his weapon tightly as he ran forward, jumping into the air, while using the momentum of a swallow swing to add power to his assault. The first cut hit home, and Griff followed up with a thrust, a swipe, and an upward hack. Tasha concentrated on the smaller shadows that had come up behind them to cut off their escape. Although she had no weapon, Tasha held her own, sending a downward kick to the head of the closest shadow, and a jab to another. Her attacks seemingly had no effect, however. Griff landed and began hacking at the creature's legs. The monster raised a giant fist, and brought it down hard, knocking Griff a good ten feet sideways. The young man groaned, sat up from his landing site in the sand, and shook his head clear of dizziness. Standing back up, he ran toward the creature once again, except that the monster had now grown to twice its original size. Griff stopped, and stared at the beast. It raised its arms high above its head, and smashed them into the ground, sending dirt and bright light everywhere. The last thing Griff saw was Tasha's worried face, the girl running to him even as he lost consciousness.

*******************

(Whoa. Bad news for Griff, huh? Wonder what's gonna happen next? Don't worry. I'll try to have a new chapter up every day or so. Unfortunately, they probably won't have very good names. Oh, well. ^_^;;)


	2. Kingdom Castle

****

Author's Note:

(Well! As promised, here's the next chapter of "By Which We Fight." I'm sorry to have left you in such a cliffhanger, but I'll bet you'd already guessed what would've happened next.

As stated before, Griff, Tasha, and the Isle of Reanai are of my creation, but you have my permission to use them in your own fics. I do not claim the rights to Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, or any other Squaresoft game. Enjoy!)

Chapter Two

****************

_So bright….shadows…Tasha, running toward me…Tasha…_

"Tasha!"

Griff's eyes snapped open, exposing a clear, blue sky to his field of vision, and he bolted upright. What he saw next defied all principles of logic in his mind. Towering directly in front of him was a castle built from stones of the purest white. He had read about castles, but had never seen one in person. Looking around him, he saw that he was in a type of garden, with hedge sculptures and various flower beds arranged in odd shapes that he didn't recognize. Reaching down with his right hand, he was relieved to find that his swallow lay on the ground next to him. Picking it up, he stood and dusted himself off. Sand caked the surface of his jeans, and his white t-shirt was in about the same condition, with the added décor of rips and tears.

_Great…_

"Oh? And who might you be?"

Griff turned around, bringing his weapon up, ready for battle. He immediately lowered it when he saw a female _duck,_ wearing a dazzling pink dress, with lace frills on the collar and cuffs. "Oh, I'm sorry," the duck continued. "I didn't mean to startle you." Griff held his weapon ready, just in case. The way he saw it, ducks weren't _supposed_ to talk, _or_ wear clothes. The duck gazed at him with bright blue eyes. "My name is Daisy," she said. "I'm Gideon Lombardi," Griff answered with a bit of hesitancy, "but people call me Griff."

"And I am the queen, Minnie," came a new voice. Griff looked toward the castle gates and saw a mouse dressed in an elegant white gown, with frills located in about the same places as the duck's dress. "Might I ask how you arrived here?" she asked, walking slowly toward them. Griff shook his head, looking at the ground as he spoke. "I'd like to know that myself. I can remember a storm, and then these shadows started to appear…"

"Shadows?!" Daisy exclaimed. She turned to Minnie. "Your Highness, do you think…?" Minnie nodded and made a gesture for Daisy to settle down a bit. Turning back to Griff, Minnie spoke softly. "We're sorry. Please continue."

"It was a strange storm," Griff went on. "I had never seen one like it in all my life. Sure, there was thunder and lightning, but there was no wind or rain. These shadow-things just started sprouting from the ground and attacked me and my girlfriend, Tasha. They attacked her father, too. They jumped on him, and a red light came from his chest, then disappeared. He went limp after that. I tried to escape with Tasha on one of our boats, but a really big shadow stopped us. It attacked, and all I remember was a bright light as it struck the ground, and Tasha running…" he trailed off, remembering it clearly. He looked back up at Minnie and Daisy. "Please tell me I'm not the only one you've seen today."

Minnie shook her head solemnly. "I do not know what happened to Tasha, but as for what you saw, I'm afraid your world was destroyed." Griff shook his head vigorously, unable to take any of it in. "What?! What are you saying?" Daisy took a step forward. "It is just as she says. Your world was invaded by creatures called the 'Heartless.' Tasha's father was unfortunate enough to have had his heart devoured. That was the light you saw above him. We had believed the Heartless were all but destroyed three years ago." Griff narrowed his eyes. "Well, obviously, somebody missed some," he said, squeezing the grip on his swallow. "Tasha…" he whispered. Daisy looked at her queen, who nodded, having heard him also. "If you're intent on finding her," the queen began, "then we may be able to help." Griff looked up at them, his face growing hopeful. "Are you sure?" he asked, easing his grip on his weapon. "Of course," said Daisy. "This way, please." Minnie led the way into the castle, followed by Daisy. Griff looked around himself at the skillful stonework that must have taken years to master. There were beautiful murals engraved into the walls as they passed. One depicted a battle between a dragon and a gallant knight, wielding only a broadsword. Another told the story of a shadow covering the land, its inhabitants running in fear, chased by creatures with features similar to those which he himself had fought. Daisy turned to face Griff. "Don't fall behind, Griff," she said with a smile. Griff quickened his pace, and followed them into the castle. 

From high above, crouched on the roof of a parapet, a figure watched them leave. His spiky, blonde hair remained motionless, despite the breeze. His cloak, however, rode the air currents like a kite. The metal buckles on the numerous straps adorning his clothing glinted in the sunlight, as did the claw on his left hand.

_So he's the one….._

Without a sound, the figure moved away from the parapet, and prepared for his own journey.

*******************

(Okay. Chapter 2 finished. I'm sorry it wasn't as long as the first, but it's time for bed right now, and I have to make up all the sleep I've been missing due to waking up at 5 in the mornings for school…::grumble, grumble:: _o I plan to have the next chapter done and posted by tomorrow night, where we will find out where Griff is being taken, and ::small fanfare:: what happened to Tasha! I will also plan to update every other day, starting Saturday. So, until next time!)


	3. The Search

****

Author's Note:

(I didn't get the chance to post Chapter 2 yesterday, so I'm going to post it along with this one today. Enjoy the fic! ^_^)

Chapter Three

****************

The brick walkway was cold, and it gave goose pimples to the girl lying prone upon it. Her dark hair spread across her face, and one eye slowly opened. Sitting up weakly, she checked her surroundings. She was in a dark alley, with only three doors that she could see. Looking down, she inspected herself. Her clothes were in fair condition. Her jeans now had small holes in the knees, and a slight tear along the left leg, but otherwise fine. She had minor abrasions on her hands and elbows, but that was okay. She slowly stood, bracing herself against a wall for support. When her vertigo faded, she attempted to walk, taking each step one at a time, until she felt well enough to walk normally. She left the alley, and found herself in what looked to be the main square of a town. In the middle, were two trees, their leaves missing. There were a few people that walked the street, running various errands, but one object in particular caught her eye: a small creature, with milk-white fur, a large, red nose, and a sort of pom-pom on the top of its head. It turned, and she saw a set of wings on its back. It made the strangest of sounds, too. "Kupo!" it said.

_This isn't Brandt…_ the girl thought to herself. She brushed a few strands of hair away from her left eye, leaving the rest to fall down over her right. She dusted herself off to the best of her ability, and walked into the square. Shops lined the street above a set of stairs leading into the center of the square, with ornate window designs and finely-crafted door handles. Something tapped her leg. Turning, she saw that it was the same strange creature she had seen before. "Are you lost, kupo?" it said. The girl stared at it, stunned. "Did you just talk to me?" she asked, her eyes wide. The creature nodded. "Yes I did. Kupo!" The girl shook her head. "What are you supposed to be?"

The creature bowed low, the pom-pom on its head bobbing. "I'm a moogle! My name is Kupek." The creature seemed to smile as it extended its hand. The girl took it, and the moogle known as Kupek fluttered up to shake it. "I'm Tasha," the girl said. "What is this place?" The moogle landed and did a slight back flip. "This is Traverse Town. Kupo! This is the hub world for those who have lost their own to the Heartless. Kupo!" Tasha raised an eyebrow. "The what?" she asked.

"The Heartless. Kupo! Those without hearts. They take yours and those of worlds."

"Have you seen a young man around here? He's wearing a white shirt and jeans. He's got hair like mine, but it's tied back." Kupek shook its head. "No, I haven't. Is he your boyfriend, or something? Kupo!" Tasha felt her cheeks go red. "Yes," she replied. Kupek made a sweeping gesture with its arm. "Traverse Town is pretty small. You might find him if you search, kupo."

Tasha looked toward the central staircase. To its left, was a door, above which hung a sign reading "Items." Tasha walked toward the plain-looking door and pushed it open, the hinges noiseless in their motion. Inside, three ducks watched her enter, and all at once, said "Hi!" Tasha paused, surprised for a moment. The ducks looked the same, save for the color of their clothing, which consisted of only a shirt and cap. One wore green, another blue, and the third wore red. "Have you seen a young man walk in here? He's about a foot taller than me, same hair, but tied back. He's wearing a white shirt, and jeans." The green one shook its head. "I haven't. Have you, Dewey?" It was the blue one's turn to shake his head. "Nope. Sure haven't, Huey." The red one snapped his fingers. "Wait. I think I remember seeing someone in a white shirt walking into the Second District." Tasha looked at him. "How do I get there?" she asked. The blue one, Dewey, pointed in the direction of the stairs outside. "Go up the stairs and take a right around the Accessory Shop. Go up those stairs and take a left, then an immediate right, you'll see a door. Go through it."

Tasha nodded at the three. "Thank you," she said, turning for the door. Louie, having always been up to something, stepped forward. "Wait up," he said quickly. Tasha stopped, and turned to face him. "What is it?" she asked. Louie smiled, and held up his pointer finger, telling her to wait, as he hurried behind the counter and rummaged through something. He came back holding a pair of leather gloves, with what looked to be three strips of metal running down the back and curving down the front, stopping between the knuckles. Huey and Dewey rolled their eyes. "Take these," Louie said. "They might come in handy for someone as agile-looking as you." Tasha knelt down and took the gloves from Louie, smiling warmly. As she stood up, she ruffled the feathers on top of his head, inciting a nervous chuckle from the duck. She walked out the door, leaving Huey, Dewey, and Louie standing alone inside. Louie smiled to himself. "You know," he said, "I think she likes me." Huey and Dewey promptly removed their hats and beat Louie over the head. "Hey!" said Louie. "What'd I do?"

************

Tasha stood outside the Item Shop, going through Dewey's directions in her head. Once she was sure she had remembered them right, she turned toward the central stairs and started to climb. At the top, was a large building with a sign next to the door. It read: "Accessories." Tasha turned right and walked around the shop, going up the stairs she found there. Turning left she saw a set of large, wooden doors. She ran toward them, eager to find Griff. She placed her hands on the heavy doors and pushed, revealing another square, this one having an upper walkway that went almost completely around it. Shops lined the walls, but most, if not all, of them were closed. A set of stairs off to her right led to the lower level, where, at the far end of the square, stood a fountain. A picture of butterflies sat imbedded into the stonework. Above the fountain, a large building loomed. At the top, Tasha could make out what she believed to be a belfry. She didn't see anyone in the square itself, but there were two smaller alleys on the right side of the square on the lower level. She headed down the stairs, and made for the first alley. A sudden presence behind her caused her to turn. In the air, at eye level with her, floated a creature in tattered dark clothing. On its head, it wore a helmet that looked like a tooth-filled mouth. Two yellow eyes stared at her from within. Tasha turned to run, but three more appeared, surrounding her on all sides. Accompanying these creatures were about a half-dozen of the shadows that she had seen on Reanai. They closed in, the smaller ones preventing her from dodging around the larger ones.

Tasha found herself backed into a corner, unable to find an opening that she could slip through. A sudden shout from above caused her to look up.

"Fire in the hole!"

At the same time, another voice called out, "Shield!" A sudden flash of light appeared in front of her, forming a wall. A small red cylinder sailed through the air, landing on the ground amidst the shadows. Sparks traveled quickly down a wire sticking out one end. When the sparks disappeared, time seemed to stand still for an instant, then an explosion engulfed her vision. She could feel a sudden wave of heat from it, but she remained intact, despite the close range of the blast. The shadows, however, were not so lucky. When the flames died down, the shadows were gone.

Tasha looked up again, and saw two men leap down from the upper level, landing neatly in front of her. One had spiked blonde hair, held up by a pair of pilot's goggles. Draped across his shoulders was a long pike, over which he hung his arms. The other one had shoulder-length, brown hair , a black, short-sleeved jacket, and a sword in his hands, the handle of which appeared to be the handle of a gun, complete with trigger and cylinder. Two belts crisscrossed his pants. The two men turned to face her, and the swordsman held his free hand in front of his face, before extending it toward her, palm outward. "Dispel," he said loudly. Tasha saw the wall in front of her brighten for an instant, then seemingly break into a million tiny shards, each one floating upward and disappearing.

"You're lucky we were in the neighborhood," the blonde one said. "Name's Cid. Cid Highwind. This here's Leon." The swordsman placed his weapon in a holster low on his left hip. "Just Leon," he said quietly. "This part o' town's dangerous for someone to go walking around in without a weapon. The Heartless are everywhere." Tasha looked at Cid in surprise. "Those were Heartless?" she asked. Leon nodded his head. "Come with us," he replied. "We can take you somewhere safe." 

Remembering the gloves that Louie had given her, Tasha pulled them from her back pocket and put them on. They ended just before the wrist, and on the inside, was a thin, metal bar that ran across the bottoms of the fingers. She squeezed it, and the three metal strips shot forward, revealing themselves to be claws, each one finely edged. She squeezed it again, and the claws disappeared. Cid raised an eyebrow. Seeing his expression, Tasha smiled. "Louie gave these to me."

Cid laughed, and scratched the back of his head. "That kid'll never learn." Leon had started toward the fountain, and looked back at them. "Come on," he said. "We're wasting time here." Cid sighed and motioned for Tasha to go first.

*******************

(I'm sorry for Chapter 2's shortness, but I think I more than made up for it this time.)


	4. The Flight

****

Author's Note:

(Nothing really important to write here today, so enjoy the fic! ^_^)

****

Chapter Four

******************

Griff followed Minnie and Daisy in silence, their steps echoing in the expansive hallways. At one point, Minnie had opened a simple wooden door, revealing a long, dark staircase beyond it. The trio descended, and finally entered a large room, with machines stretching from wall to wall. In the center, was what looked like a vessel. It was small, able to fit only one person within its small cockpit. "This is what we call a Gummi Ship," Minnie said. "We use it to travel between worlds. This is the Ahriman model, the smallest we have available at the moment." Griff looked up at it from his vantage point on the floor. It was mostly blue in color, and had what looked to be several scorch marks on the sides. "Looks like this one's a little beat-up," he commented. "Yes, it's been through a lot," Daisy said.

Two chipmunks scampered into the room, standing on their hind legs and saluting. "This is Chip and Dale," she continued, "our mechanics. They will answer any questions you might have." Griff nodded his head to the two chipmunks before looking up at the Ahriman again. "How soon can I get out of here?" he asked. "As soon as you're ready," squeaked Dale. Chip bonked his twin on the top of the head. "You know full well that he doesn't know how to fly."

Griff shook his head. "I don't care. All I want is to find Tasha." Daisy sighed. "If you are sure," she said, "then go ahead and get inside. Chip and Dale will help." The two chipmunks saluted, and scampered off into the control room, climbing onto the console and pausing in front of a large button. They nodded to each other, and jumped on the button, starting up a system of machines that Griff couldn't see. Looking up, a large hand descended and lay itself flat on the floor in front of him. Griff stepped upon it, and the hand started to rise, positioning itself next to the open cockpit. As he stepped off the hand into the Ahriman, Daisy called up to him. "Griff! Take this with you!" She heaved a small package up to him, which the young man deftly caught in one hand. Opening it, he found a sort of bandolier, with a strap of leather crossing the back, from the right shoulder to the left hip. On this strap, were two clamps. "Use that to carry your weapon," she said. Griff smiled at her, and put it on. Taking his swallow in his hand, he placed it behind his back. The swallow was pulled into the clamps automatically, and Griff tested his mobility, bending and twisting at the waist. His weapon did not shift at all. Satisfied, he sat down in the seat, looking over the controls. It was a simple enough layout: a double-handled control stick, power readout, and armor gauge. There was a throttle lever to his left.

"Griff?"

Griff looked around him, unable to find the source of the voice. "Dale to Griff. Do you copy? Over." Griff glanced down at a small speaker to his right. A small button flashed beneath it. Griff pressed it, and began to speak. "Yeah, I'm here," he said, trying to figure out what was going on. "Uh, roger that, Griff," Dale replied. "We're gonna' give ya' a crash course in Gummi-flying." There came the sound of a brief scuffle from the other end, and when it ceased, Chip's voice came through the speaker. "Sorry about that," said the chipmunk. "What I'm going to do is talk you through this. You ready?" Griff nodded his head, gripping the control sticks. "Yeah, go for it."

"Okay. First," said Chip, "we're going to launch. See the small green switch on the panel on front of you?" Griff scanned the instrument panels until he found a plain, green switch. "I see it. Now what?"

"Flip it."

Griff obeyed, and in that instant, the floor beneath the ship dropped open, and the Ahriman went hurtling downward. The ship suddenly lurched to a halt after a short while, floating in what seemed like a whirling mass of colors, all interconnecting and turning into each other. Chip's voice crackled over the speaker. "Okay. You're clear. Now, do you see the video screen in front of you?" Griff stared at the blank monitor. "Yeah," he replied. "Turn the switch on its right," said Chip. Griff did so, and a map appeared. Displayed upon it were several pictures, each one looking like some kind of structure sitting on top of a sphere. One of them blinked incessantly. "The blinking picture you see is your current destination," said Chip. "Turn the controls so that your ship faces it." Once again, Griff obeyed, turning the sticks. They moved quite smoothly for such a beat-up ship.

"Now _slowly_ push the throttle lever forward."

Griff reached down with his left hand and rested it on the throttle lever. After a moment, he eased it forward, and the Ahriman's engines roared to life. It was quite a fast little ship, for as Griff looked behind him, the world he had left was quickly fading into the distance.

Griff looked at the map again, identifying his destination as a place called "Traverse Town." He released the control sticks and sat back in his seat. Apparently, it would take some time before he got there, so he decided to relax. The speaker crackled, and Dale's worried voice erupted from it. "Griff! You've got bogies on your six!"

"What?" Griff sat up, wondering what Dale meant.

"You've got Heartless ships coming at you _from behind!!!_"

Before he could reply, three beams of light passed within inches of the Ahriman. In another instant, the ship rocked as another volley struck it squarely from behind. Three orange, yellow, and green-colored vessels streaked past the Ahriman. "Dale!" Griff shouted into the speaker. "Does this ship have what they have?" The speaker crackled again. "Not quite," said Chip. "They've got Thunder Beam-cannons. You've got a Comet Laser." Griff made a face. "Mind speaking in English?"

"Look at your control panel. There should be a switch beneath a red cover. Hit it." Griff did so, following Chip's instructions. A box appeared in the cockpit window, a cross in the very middle. A soft hum emanated from the underside of the Ahriman. "Your weapon systems are now active," the chipmunk said. "Now blow 'em outta' the sky!" Dale shouted. Looking out the cockpit window, Griff saw that the three enemy vessels had turned around. A red circle appeared around one of them. He gripped the control sticks, and squeezed the trigger. A bright burst of light shot forth and impacted on the other ship, destroying it. "The Comet Lasers are like missiles," Chip said. "They pack a wallop, but you can only use them so many times before they run out." Griff rolled his eyes. "Thanks for telling me that _now_, guys," he grumbled. The red circle outlined another of the vessels, and Griff fired again. The target attempted to evade, but the laser tracked and destroyed it, leaving one more. It turned so that it headed straight for the Ahriman, giving Griff little time to react before the enemy opened fire, a flurry of beams erupting from the underside cannon. The Ahriman rocked, and alarms began blaring into Griff's ears. "Get out of there, Griff!" shouted Dale. "One more solid hit, and you're done for!"

_Perfect…_Griff thought to himself. Veering away from the attacking ship, Griff grabbed the throttle lever and shoved it forward with all his might. The Ahriman hesitated for a split-second, then it shot forward, faster than anything Griff could comprehend. The enemy vessel was left far behind, disappearing into the distance within an instant. "Slow down!" shouted Chip. "The Ahriman won't hold together at that speed!"

Griff ignored the plea, instead bracing himself as another world came into view. He steered himself straight toward it. The world drew closer at an astounding rate, and a bright flash filled the Ahriman's cockpit. Griff closed his eyes, keeping his hands on the controls even as the Ahriman itself began to lose its hull-plating in large chunks.

***********

Chip and Dale stared in horror at the view screen, watching the Ahriman disintegrate just above Traverse Town. When the explosion ceased, the twin chipmunks lowered their heads. Griff had been on a mission with the most honorable of intentions, but now it appeared as though that would never happen. Chip and Dale slowly climbed off the control panel and exited the control room, entering the main hangar bay where Daisy and Minnie waited. The queen looked up at them, smiling at first, but it quickly vanished when she saw their expressions. "What happened?" she asked. "The ship ignited just above Traverse Town," said Chip. Dale's shoulders shook. "He didn't make it, your Highness…!" he bawled. Minnie and Daisy exchanged wide-eyed glances, before rushing to console the twins.

***********

(::Sniff:: Aww…I made the chipmunks cry..! Don't worry guys. I'll make everything better (somehow…o_o;) The work on these is coming along great, and I expect to have at least another chapter posted by tomorrow. See ya then!)


	5. Reunion

****

Author's Note:

(I apologize for my tardiness in getting this chapter in, but I've been busy. My school prom is fast approaching. I can only hope that all goes well when it finally arrives.

Anyway, I suppose I should get this chapter underway. I know this will sound crazy, but it was rather difficult to write the last few paragraphs of chapter 4. I'm not talking about writer's block, but more along the lines of what Chip and Dale were feeling. I have a tendency to get inside the mind of the characters in my stories so that I can better understand how they would react in certain situations. I was all choked up, I swear! ::sniffle:: Oh, drat. Now I've gone and done it…::reaches for a tissue:: Enjoy the fic..! ::blows nose:: )

****

Chapter Five

****************

Tasha followed Leon into the alley nearest the stairs. There was a single door at the end, with the words "District Three" engraved upon it. The swordsman pushed it open, and Tasha found herself staring at dozens of bright lights hung all around a new square, the most dazzling she'd seen. There was a small house to her left, and it was to the house's old-fashioned door that Leon went. As Tasha followed, she looked over the rail into the square below. There was a golden fountain in one corner, and, far toward the back, was a door framed in writing, symbols that she did not understand. On the door itself, was a picture of a bright red flame, painted dead in the center. Symbols similar to those on the doorframe formed a ring around it. So lost was she in her thoughts that she didn't even hear her name. Cid reached out and tapped Tasha on the shoulder. "You okay? You kinda' zoned out for a minute there."

Tasha turned to Cid and smiled softly. "Yes, I'm fine," she said. "I guess I'm just a little overwhelmed by all this." Cid smiled back, switching the toothpick he chewed to the other side of his mouth. "You'll get used to it eventually. It's those Heartless you have to worry about."

Tasha nodded, walking slowly behind Cid as Leon pushed the door open. She heard a youthful voice shout, "Welcome home, Leon!" As Cid entered, he made room for Tasha, who stepped inside. "Who is this, Leon?" asked a brunette in a plain pink dress. Her hair was done in a ponytail tied with an equally-pink ribbon. Her soft, green eyes seemed to smile at Tasha, who slowly backed up against and leaned on an old bookshelf. It was clear that the enthusiastic greeting to Leon had not come from this woman. There was another in the room, however, who wore a pair of khaki shorts that barely covered the top-half of her thighs. Her green turtleneck sweater looked well-worn, and a white strip of cloth was tied around her head, contrasting the dark color of her hair. She looked at Tasha and smiled. "Hi! I'm Yuffie Kisaragi," she said. Tasha smiled back nervously. "Tasha Aurin," she replied. The brunette offered a welcoming smile. "My name is Aerith Gainsborough. We apologize for the mess, but this abandoned house suited our needs."

"And what needs are those?" Tasha asked, curious as to why four people would be able to live inside such a small space. "We fight the Heartless," said Leon, who leaned against the wall closest to the door. His arms were crossed, and he seemed to be rather apathetic about the whole thing. "'He who fights for those he cares for, always wins, no matter what the outcome.' That is the creed by which we fight." Aerith looked Tasha in the eye. "What were you doing in the Second District?" she asked, a clear sign of concern in her tone. "That place is infested with Heartless."

Tasha lowered her head, looking at the floor as she spoke. "I'm looking for my boyfriend. He's about Cid's height, and he's got black hair like me, but it's tied back in a small ponytail. I'm so worried about him…" Aerith nodded understandingly. "When was the last time you saw him?"

Tasha shook her head. "It's all a blur," she began. "I remember a storm, and then these shadows, much like the ones Leon and Cid saved me from, started appearing everywhere. They attacked my father, and as Griff tried to escape with me, a large one stopped us from reaching our boat. It attacked, and Griff fought back, but it was too strong. It slammed its hands onto the ground, and Griff fell, a bright light consuming everything. I ran to him, and the next thing I know, I'm lying on the ground in an alley here in town."

The door opened suddenly. "Your world was destroyed," came a voice. The group turned, and beheld three figures entering the house. The leader was a boy, with dark brown hair, done up in a wild spike. His clothes were peculiar, too. He wore a one-piece body-suit that zipped all the way to his neck, and a jacket with a hood. Behind him, came a duck, wearing blue robes and a hat of the same color. The last was something of a cross between a man, and a dog. It smiled at Tasha, its eyes warm and full of compassion. The boy looked Tasha up and down, as if inspecting her. Finally, he stepped back, and said, "The Heartless invaded and destroyed your world. You are here because your heart was strong enough to survive."

Before Tasha could speak, the boy smiled. It was a friendly smile, one that gave her the impression that, even beneath the somewhat serious exterior, there was a boy who just wanted to go home, and have fun again. "I'm Sora," he said. "This is Donald and Goofy." The duck bowed low, and the other, who Tasha guessed was Goofy, waved. "Uh-hyuck!" said Goofy. "Pleased to meetcha'!"

The boy, Sora, turned to Leon. "There was an accident," Sora said. "A Gummi ship blew up just as it reached the limits of town." Leon nodded. "Any survivors?" he asked. Sora shook his head. "We haven't checked yet. We were on our way there when we saw the door open, and decided to check up on you guys." Yuffie smiled. "Aw, Sora," she said with a grin. "You don't have to worry about us! We're fine. See?" She gestured to the others present. Sora smiled back, scratching his head. "I guess you're right. Well, I'll be going now. I'll let you know if anything comes up." Sora left the house, followed by Donald and Goofy, shutting the door behind them.

**********

Griff was flying, propelled forward and downward by the blast. He'd seen and felt the Ahriman disintegrating around him, and all he could do was hold on, thinking of Tasha. When it finally happened, Griff fell, the pieces of the Ahriman falling with him. Opening his eyes, he looked down and saw himself heading for a tall tower, a golden bell hanging inside. He tried to curl into a ball, to somehow protect himself, but he found that he could no longer feel his arms or legs. All he could do was shut his eyes, and pretend that this wasn't happening, but it was. With a crash, Griff fell through the roof of the belfry, landing hard on his back. A sharp pain in his side caused him to lift his head and look down at himself. A large piece of wood had impaled itself into his right side, and even that slight movement caused him to cry out in pain. He tried to grip the wood, but all his limbs had been broken. He lay there, his face contorted in agony. To his right, just outside a wooden blockade, several shadows rose from the wooden planks, their empty yellow eyes staring at him. At once, they leapt on him, inciting a scream of pain that even Griff himself didn't know he could muster. The shadows retreated at the force of his yell, but quickly returned, surrounding him as a soft glow accumulated within his chest. "No!!" he cried.

A sudden bolt of lightning parted the air. It broke into several smaller bolts and rained down on the shadows, who vanished just as quickly as they had come. A duck wearing blue robes appeared from behind the blockade, holding a staff. The duck was followed by a boy, and what looked like a man-sized dog that walked on two legs and carried a shield. The boy stood over Griff, held out his hand, and a light gathered in his palm. An object looking very similar to a key appeared. The boy gripped it, and gently pressed the tip gently against the glow in Griff's chest. The boy turned the key, and the faint sound of a click was heard. The glow faded, and Griff closed his eyes.

Sora shook his head. "This is bad, you guys," he said. "He's not going to make it without our help. I doubt even Curaga would be of any use." Goofy reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bottle of a purplish-green liquid. "Uh, here's an elixir I found earlier," he said. "Try that." Sora took the bottle and uncorked it. "Goofy," he said, "On the count of three, I want you to pull that wood out of him. Got it?" Goofy nodded, and carefully gripped the wood in his hands. On Sora's count of three, Goofy yanked, the offending object coming out clean. Blood began to flow freely, like a river that had broken its dam. Sora lifted Griff's head and poured the elixir down the other man's throat. The wound in Griff's side stopped bleeding, and closed off before their very eyes, leaving no trace of ever having been there.

Griff slowly opened his eyes. Everything was a blur; all he could make out were three outlines, evidently the same group who had driven off the Heartless. "Where…am I?" Griff whispered, his vision slowly beginning to return. "You're in the belfry of the Gizmo Shop, in District Two of Traverse Town," said the boy. "My name is Sora."

"Griff Lombardi," replied Griff. He slowly sat up, reaching up to rub his head, but stopped when he realized that he once again had full mobility in his limbs. "Hey..! I can move again! What did you do?" Sora ran his fingers through his hair. "You wouldn't have made it had we not given you an elixir," he said. "A what?" asked Griff. "An elixir," Sora explained. "It's a medicine that immediately heals all wounds and mental acuity." Griff nodded slowly, taking it in. "So that explains why my side doesn't hurt any more…"

Donald stuck his head outside the belfry. "Sora!" he squawked. "We got company!" Sora rushed to Donald's side, his key held like a sword in his hand. Griff stood up, reaching behind his back, relieved that his swallow was still there. Removing it from the clamps, he stood on the other side of Donald, looking down into the square. Dozens of shadows dressed as knights had started swarming the belfry, trying to climb atop each other in order to reach the belfry itself. Griff tightened his grip on the swallow, holding it firmly in both hands. Sora raised his key into the air, shouting, "Stopga!" The shadow-knights had ceased all movement, as if frozen in time. Sora walked to the edge and jumped, landing a blow with his key to the topmost Heartless, vaporizing it. Donald and Goofy jumped also, aided in their descent by Donald's magic, leaving Griff standing alone in the belfry. As the trio landed, the shadow-knights began to move again, leaping off the wall to engage them. While Sora, Donald, and Goofy dealt with the knights, two large, corpulent Heartless appeared from nowhere. They slowly advanced toward the three.

Griff looked over the edge of the belfry. There was a steep roof that went down far enough for him to jump safely to the bottom of the square. The fat Heartless were within striking distance now, and Sora hadn't noticed them yet. "Sora! Behind you!" Griff shouted. The boy turned around, but it was too late. One of the fat ones had struck, knocking Sora into a wall, unconscious. Gripping his swallow firmly in his hands. Griff jumped onto the roof, sliding down the tiles before leaping to the next, giving him a better angle of attack when he made the final jump. He did, and raised his swallow high. He spun it rapidly in his hands, before bringing it down hard on the nearest Large Body's head. The blade cut straight through, the Heartless splitting into two halves, disintegrating as it fell in opposite directions. Donald took a moment to raise his staff into the air, shouting, "Curaga!" A greenish glow surrounded Sora, and the boy opened his eyes, ready for battle once again.

Griff raised his swallow and cut hard across the belly of the other Large Body, but the corpulent Heartless' belly absorbed the impact. "You've gotta' hit them from behind, Griff!" shouted Sora. Donald swung his staff hard, knocking a shadow-knight in the head. The Heartless vanished. Goofy held his shield in front of him and charged straight into a group of about three others, the weapon glowing strangely. The shadow-knights were knocked to the ground, and vanished in a puff of smoke. "Thundaga!" Sora shouted, raising his key to the sky. A brilliant shower of light rained down on the shadow-knights, reducing them to ash. Griff turned, having been left with the second Large Body after Sora's magic attack, and almost passed out in shock. The Large Body was _asleep!_ It's massive form hunched forward, its impossibly large arms resting on the ground, supporting it. Griff smirked mischievously, and vaulted upward, placing one hand on top of the Large Body's head. Once he was perfectly vertical, he continued the motion, landing behind the sleeping entity. Griff spun, delivering a brutal upward slash that tore into the Heartless' back, destroying it.

Sora turned to the other man, who spun his weapon once, before grasping it in his right hand and securing it in the clamps. "Thanks for your help," the boy said. "I was too focused on the Shadow-Knights to notice the Large Bodies. What sort of weapon is that, anyhow?" Griff smiled, as he always did when someone was asking him about a topic he knew well. "This is called a swallow," Griff answered. "It's built for a combination of speed, power, and balance. What about that key? You wield it like a sword."

Sora held up the key. "This is called a 'Keyblade'," he said. "It's used to lock the heart of a world to prevent its destruction by the Heartless. I would think that, by the way you were easily able to dispatch the Large Bodies, that you are fighting with your heart. It wouldn't have been possible, otherwise." Griff scratched his head. "What do you mean? I just want to find my girlfriend."

Sora put the Keyblade away, the weapon vanishing in a flash of light. "That's the reason," he said. "Your heart feels the need to give its all in order for you to find your love." Griff looked at the ground. "I just hope she's alright…" he said softly. "She wouldn't happen to be wearing a red shirt, pants, and have dark hair like you, would she?" Donald asked. Griff's head snapped up, gazing Donald in the eye. "How did you know?!" the young man said loudly. Donald chuckled. "Follow us."

The trio led Griff down a small alley into the Third District, which was decked wall to wall with lights. Donald stopped in front of a plain-looking door, and stepped aside, allowing Griff to slowly open it. The people inside turned around, the one closest to the door nearly falling over. "Griff!!!" she shouted, running to embrace him. Griff allowed it, and wrapped Tasha tightly in a hug, tears of joy running down their faces. The others glanced at one another, nodding, then left the room, giving Tasha and Griff some time to themselves.

*******************

(Wow. That was pretty long compared to the other chapters. I expect to have chapter 6 up by tomorrow evening. If not then, probably Tuesday morning. The rest of the story is still up in the air, but I'll think of something. Until then, L8r!)


	6. The Attack

****

Author's Note:

(First of all, I am SO sorry that I'm only NOW getting this in. I was suffering from a severe case of writer's block, and I sought assistance in chipping it away. (Thanks, Rem!) Anyhow, this first paragraph is why I made the story PG-13. Nothing is described in detail, but the _implication_ is there. Enjoy!)

Chapter Six

****************

The dawn brought with it the refreshing newness that so often accompanied a restful sleep. Griff opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling of the small house. Sitting up, he looked down beside him. Tasha lay there, her bare arms held close to her equally bare chest, which happened to be appropriately covered in sheets. She murmured, and opened her sapphire-blue eyes, looking up and smiling at him. "Good morning," she said. Griff smiled back, and leaned down to kiss her. She returned the affection, smiling even after the contact was broken. Griff stood up, reaching for his pants, which hung draped over the back of a nearby chair. He pulled them on, picking up and examining his tattered shirt. Throwing it aside, he picked up his harness and strapped it on, making sure his swallow was firmly attached. There came a knock on the door, and Tasha sat up, holding the sheets over her chest. "Come in," she said. The door opened, and Yuffie entered, speaking quickly. "Leon wants to kno--" She was cut off, having caught sight of Tasha, sitting in bed, covering herself, but this didn't affect her as much as seeing Griff standing nearby, shirtless, muscular, and looking, in her mind, _very_ hot. Not in the temperature sense, either. Yuffie went bright red. "I'm sorry! I'll just, um….wait outside." The girl quickly stepped back out of the house, blushing like mad.

Leon stood against the wall, his arms crossed, as usual. "Well? Are they awake?" he asked, his voice low. Cid stood not too far away. Yuffie remained facing away from him. "Um…yeah, they're awake. They'll be ready in a little bit. Err…gotta' go!" The girl ran full speed away from them, leaving Cid to laugh loudly, the man having seen her expression. The door opened soon afterward, and Griff emerged, followed closely by Tasha, fully-clothed now, save for her gloves, which she was busily pulling on. Leon looked up at them. "Are you guys hungry?" he asked. "The others are waiting in the First District."

Griff nodded, not having eaten since the storm, which had to have been two days ago, at the very least. Tasha did the same. Cid jerked his head in the direction of a set of doors on the lower level of the square. "That leads straight to the First District," he said, spitting out his toothpick. "Leon and I have been patrolling all night, so it should be safe. There's a small restaurant next door to the Item Shop. The others are waiting for you. I'll stay on patrol with Leon." Griff nodded, turning toward a ramp which led to the lower level, with Tasha behind him.

*********

As the doors closed behind them, Tasha glanced around. In front of them, at the other side of the square, was a group of tables and chairs, each one neatly spaced. Aerith turned, and waved when she saw them. Sitting at the same table were Sora, Goofy, Donald, and a man she did not recognize. He was dressed mostly in black, with spiky blonde hair. He wore a tattered cape of the deepest red, and his eyes seemed to glow. His left hand was encased in a type of claw, which was gold in color. At his side, was a sword easily as long as he was tall. The blade was broader than his shoulders. He looked at her, and she suddenly felt uneasy. She was jolted back to reality when Griff put his arm around her shoulders. "Let's go eat," he said with a smile.

He led her over to the tables, where Aerith greeted them. "Did you have a good sleep?" she asked, her eyes just as warm as always. Tasha nodded, pulling a vacant seat over to the table. There was a plate full of food in the center, and she eagerly heaped her plate full of it, as did Griff. This brought a boyish grin from Sora. "I take it you two are hungry," he said, taking a bite of his breakfast. Goofy looked over to the spiky-haired man, sitting across from Griff. "Gawrsh, Cloud. Why don't you eat something?" Goofy asked, concerned. The man called Cloud shook his head. "I'm not hungry," he replied, all the while looking at Griff, who was happily scarfing down his breakfast. After a moment, Griff paused, feeling Cloud's gaze upon him. "Something wrong?" Griff asked, slightly annoyed. Cloud made no response. Instead, he got to his feet, picking up his sword. As he walked away, he stopped. "Hold on to that which you hold dear," he said, facing away from them. "It might suddenly be taken from you without warning." With that, he left, and only silence followed him.

"That was a threat, wasn't it?" Griff said, starting to stand. Tasha laid her hand on his arm to calm him. Griff stares after Cloud, watching him pass through the doors to the Third District. "Don't worry about it," she said softly. "I'm sure if he was threatening us, Sora, Donald, and Goofy wouldn't let him get away with it." She glanced at the three, and was reassured with a nod from Sora. "I don't know what's gotten into him lately. He seems more…I don't know…distant."

Griff sat back down to eat, still staring at the doors. "I'll go ask him," said Aerith, after a long pause. With a sweep of her dress, she headed for the doors. Pushing them open, she went through. Cloud stood in the middle of the square, gazing up at the sky.

"How long do you think it's been?" he asked, not looking at her. Aerith approached, not answering his question, but asking one of her own. "Why were you so mean to Griff? He just might prove a valuable ally." Cloud shook his head. "I'm sure you've felt it," he replied, turning toward her. "Felt what?" Aerith asked.

"Griff might be the one."

"What are you talking about?" said Aerith. Cloud turned his gaze back to the heavens. "His heart is unstable. It is strong, but it could easily be tempted by darkness, just to protect those he loves." Aerith closed her eyes, finding truth in his words. "But he's so powerful," she said. "How could the dark sway him?" Cloud shrugged. "It nearly got me, didn't it?"

Unable to say more, Aerith turned, heading for the door. "Don't tell him what I've said," Cloud called after her. "It will hinder his ability to fight if he worries about the dark." Aerith stopped, nodded once, then continued, her footsteps echoing in the empty square. From above, Leon rested his foot on the rail, listening. "There is more to this Griff than I first realized," he said to himself.

***********

Sora finished his breakfast, gulping down the last of his juice. He pushed away from the table, stretching his legs. Goofy patted his stomach, which looked a little bigger than it usually did. Donald took this last opportunity to shove the rest of his eggs into his mouth. He swallowed, and his throat seemed to expand for a moment, until the meal finally went down. Griff stood up, bending over to almost touch his toes, then he rotated at the waist, keeping his torso as low as possible. There was a satisfying _snap_ as his back popped. Sora cringed. Griff straightened his posture again, and leaned against a pillar that supported a balcony above them. Tasha leaned her chair back, resting her head against him.

Sora yawned, glancing at Tasha. The young woman was busy smiling up at Griff, her eyes bright. She reminded Sora of how Kairi would always smile when she looked at him, even when he was planning on yet another duel with Riku. Sora probably had a good idea of how she might look now, still waiting for him back on Destiny Islands. He'd promised to return to her, but he still hadn't found a way to. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the Oathkeeper key chain, Kairi's lucky charm, given to him before he went back to seal the Door of Darkness. Standing up, he put those thoughts on hold. What was important now was that they did their best. It was then that Cloud reentered the restaurant. "Griff, Tasha, would you two mind coming with me?"

The two looked over at Cloud, and slowly stood, their chair-legs scraping across the stone that decorated the floor of the restaurant. Cloud slowly headed in the direction of District Two, with Griff and Tasha not far behind. "Where are we going?" asked Tasha. Cloud cast a glance over his shoulder. "You'll see," he said simply.

Their trek led them to the alley behind the Hotel. There were two waterways, one was barred. The other wasn't. Both were wide enough to fit two Large Bodies side-by-side. It was through the open one that Cloud walked, and motioned for the others to follow. They soon found themselves wading waist-deep in water for some distance, until finally, they sloshed into a cavern, where the water level significantly dropped. They were now ankle-deep, and it was only a matter of stepping up onto a rocky "shore" in an underground cavern. Up ahead, Tasha spotted a staircase, curving up and around to the left. There was a sort of offshoot to their left, leading to the image of a combined sun and crescent moon. "Where are we?" she asked.

"We're in the Secret Waterway," said Cloud, his blue eyes glowing even in this dimly-lit place. "It's where Leon and I often train." Griff stepped forward. "Why did you bring us here?" he asked, his voice echoing slightly.

"I need to ask you both a question. What exactly did you see when your world was invaded? What happened right before the Heartless appeared?"

"There was a storm," Griff began, "but there wasn't any rain. The Heartless all of a sudden just started popping up from nowhere." Cloud nodded, then turned to Tasha. "What did you see?" he asked. "I remember a sort of high-pitched ringing," said Tasha. "The air seemed to ripple, like a pool, then they just started pouring out of it before I could even realize what was happening."

Cloud nodded again, his glowing eyes showing nothing. "And you two didn't both end up in Traverse Town," he replied. Griff shook his head. "I woke up in front of a castle," the young man said. "Why wasn't Tasha there too?" Cloud fell silent for some time, trying to come up with a suitable explanation. "It was you," he said finally. "Your heart was in turmoil. Of course, the Kingdom Castle was the best place to end up."

Griff opened his mouth to speak, and a scream split the air. Cloud whirled around, drawing his enormous sword. Griff released his swallow from his harness, looking about himself. "What's going on?" he asked in alarm. Cloud broke into a run. "Trouble in District One," he replied. Griff and Tasha followed after him, their footsteps splashing water into the air as they went. They sloshed through the waist-deep water once more, and clambered out of the waterway tunnel, where they were met by no less than seven Heartless, wearing armor and wielding shields with dog heads mounted on the front. "Defenders," Cloud said softly. "Watch out for their shields. They bite. Oh, and don't forget that they can cast ice or fire magic. Get around behind them if you can."

Tasha extended her claws, squaring her stance. The Defenders moved in, surrounding the three, crowding them in an already-narrow alley. Cloud took the initiative, pointing his sword at the nearest Defender, whose shield had begun to glow a bright orange. "Sonic Blade!" Cloud half-shouted. A bluish aura rose up around him, and he shot forward, piercing the Defender's shield, driving his blade through the creature's armor. The Defender sparked, and dissolved into a pile of dust.

Griff was next, performing an upward slice, which was deflected by his target's shield. The Defender reeled backward, having been knocked off-balance. Tasha took this chance to deliver a series of expertly-timed slashes, cutting through the Defender's armor, and destroying the Heartless. Cloud, meanwhile, had busied himself with drawing the remaining Defenders' attention away from the two teenagers, who seemed to be doing a fair job of holding their own, Tasha's small victory having caught his eye. She reminded him a lot of Tifa, her martial arts techniques polished to near-perfection.

Griff leapt backward from his current opponent, who had sent a stream of bone-freezing ice almost directly into his face. The young man shivered, having momentarily forgotten he was without a shirt. The Defender suddenly spasmed, then disintegrated, crumbling away to reveal Tasha, who had managed to circle behind the Heartless and deliver the killing blows. They exchanged a quick, unspoken thought, their eyes locking, and then returned to battle the remaining four Defenders.

Cloud swung his sword above his head, leaping into the air. He pointed the tip downward, directly at the unfortunate Defender's head. The ex-SOLDIER dropped, skewering the Heartless as his blade punched all the way through and into the ground. He jumped back, removing his blade from the concrete as the trio turned to face an equal number of Defenders.

At Cloud's signal, the three charged, filling the alley with the sound of clashing steel. When the sounds faded, all that was left of the Defenders were scattered piles of ash and debris. Not giving themselves any time to think on the battle, the trio ran full-speed out of the alley toward District One.

*****************

(Once again, I'm sorry for getting this update in so late. I've been busy with all my schoolwork. Graduation Day is fast approaching! *gulp* I can only hope for the best…)


	7. The Vagrant

****

Author's Note:

(Okay. Here begins the journey into the "meatier" part of the plot, otherwise known as, "the introduction of new worlds." I figured I had to start the "widespread-world-destruction" somewhere. Anyhow, enough of my idle banter. Enjoy!)

Chapter Seven

*******************

The doors burst open as Cloud sent a powerful kick their way. The trio rushed into District One and beheld a grim sight. Goofy and Donald lay unconscious, while Aerith knelt beside them, trying to cure them. Sora, Leon, and Cid stood their ground, facing-off against two giant humanoid females, each with three faces, and four arms, each ending in a different sort of weapon, be it either a sword, club, axe, or pike. One was clothed in gray, while the other was wearing a similar outfit, but colored black. The gray one raised its club-arm, and hammered Cid into a nearby wall. The black one prepared to skewer the fallen pilot with its pike-arm, but a small object streaked through the air just then, planting itself just below the blade. The remaining warriors' gaze followed the path of the projectile, and saw a muscular figure standing atop one of the low walls beside the central stairs. He wore a white shirt, and leather shorts. On his arms, were full gauntlets, with small shields at the elbows. Sheathed at his hip, was a scimitar. On his back, hung a buckler shield, and in his hand, was a crossbow, newly fired. The stranger placed another bolt into the crossbow and drew it back, ready for another shot.

The humanoids turned their heads to face the newcomer, who fired again, landing the bolt in the chest of the gray humanoid. The warrior then dropped the crossbow to the ground, leaping off the wall and drawing his sword. With the prowess of a tiger, coupled with the strength of a titan, the warrior executed a series of slashes and hacks into the gray humanoid, knocking it backward with each blow. "What are you waiting for?" shouted the warrior, glancing at Griff, Cloud, and Tasha. "Destroy the other one!"

The trio nodded, and assumed battle-stances, forming a staggered line in front of the black-clothed giant. Sora and Leon formed a similar line behind it, their weapons ready. Sora opened the assault, jumping into the air, landing hit after hit with his keyblade. Leon and Cloud were next, introducing their weapons to the giant's torso. Griff and Tasha, on the other hand, stood back for a moment, wondering what they could possibly do to help. Griff got an idea, and dropped into a crouch. His young eyes narrowed at his attack point, and he rushed forward, leaping into the air, bringing his swallow up and around for a slash across the dark-clad giant's abdomen. The creature hissed, and raised its upper-left arm, twin pikes mounted on the end. The giant swung, clobbering Griff in the head. The young man landed with an "Umph!" as Tasha finally moved in, her claws extended.

A howl split the air, as the gray-clothed giantess crumbled to dust, the strange warrior standing victorious. He hurried over to Griff's side, holding a small plant root. "Eat this," said the stranger. "It'll help." Griff reached up and took the root, stuffing it into his mouth without so much as a second thought. Almost immediately, his vision cleared, and his mind became alert once again. "Whoa…" Griff murmured, standing to his feet. "You'll have to tell me what kind of plant that was once this is over with." The stranger brandished his scimitar, eyeing the dark-clad giantess. "Ravana has more physical endurance than Kali did," he said. "It'll take more than just simple attacks to kill her."

That said, the stranger raised a fist to the sky, and small red globules swirled around him. He opened his hand, and extended it toward the giantess known as Ravana. Three discs of light appeared in a triangular shape above the stranger's head. One-by-one, the discs shot forward, cutting into Ravana's form with little difficulty. Ravana looked down at her wounds, and then back up at the stranger. At once, her body spasmed, then went rigid, before finally disintegrating in shafts of bright light.

Griff blinked, staring at the spot Ravana had once occupied. The weary fighters lowered their weapons, relieved that the battle was over. They walked slowly to the aid of their friends, who were just beginning to stir. Goofy picked himself up, dusting himself off. Donald awoke with a squawk, jumping up and down, his hands balled into fists. "Where are they?!" he demanded. "I'm gonna kick their--"

He cut himself off mid-sentence, looking around to find that the giantesses were nowhere to be seen. He immediately cleared his throat, and went about the group, healing them of their injuries. "Thank you," said Aerith, looking to the stranger. "I don't know how we could have managed without your help, Mr.--"

"Riot," said the stranger. "Ashley Riot, of the VKP Riskbreaker militia. I'm looking for a man named Sydney Losstarot. I lost track of him when Lea' Monde vanished. I blacked out, and woke up here just a few moments ago."

"Who were they?" asked Leon, gesturing to the remains of both Kali and Ravana. "They were conceived by the dark," answered Ashley, "guardians of Lea' Monde's innermost areas. I'm assuming they came here the same way that I did, although in all the confusion, I also lost track of Agent Merlose, my partner."

Ashley sheathed his scimitar, looking the others in the eye. "I was sent by the Valendia Parliament to recover the Gran Grimoire, a magic artifact capable of granting the user virtual immortality, as well as magical powers that far exceed anything one could possibly imagine. Sydney was the last known individual to know the location of the Gran Grimoire. He's the key to finding it."

Griff, Tasha, and the others exchanged glances. "What does this Grimoire look like?" Griff asked. "No one knows," said Ashley, crossing his arms. "Most Grimoires come in the form of a book. Others resemble jewelry and such."

"Perhaps we could be of assistance," said Aerith. "What does this Sydney look like?"

"Why ask when you can see for yourself?" said a voice. They turned around. A figure stood partially bathed in light. He wore no shirt, although he wore light armor on his arms and shoulders. He wore pants of a similar style, and a cape hung from his waist, stopping just above his ankles. His long, unkempt hair was blonde in color, and his deep-brown eyes seemed to stare into their very souls. The figure stepped forward, holding his arms slightly outward and away from his body, a gesture of peace. This didn't seem to satisfy Ashley, as the Riskbreaker drew his scimitar. "What business do you have here, Sydney?" asked Ashley. The blonde man shrugged his thin shoulders. "I mean harm to no one, Riskbreaker. I only seek answers."

Sydney walks slowly toward them, his arms still open and forward. "What caused Lea' Monde to disappear, Riskbreaker? You of all people should know the answer." Ashley shook his head. "I know not," he admitted. "Oh, but you do," said Sydney. "It is the very source of power that Lea' Monde embodies. It is the Dark, Riskbreaker! Why must your head be as thick as your muscle?" Sydney slowly walked toward Griff, stopping in front the young man. "Honestly, Riskbreaker, your mind often rivals that of this one here." Sydney extends his hand toward Griff, speaking in a low voice. "You harden your heart to bury the death of your family, Gideon Lombardi. You blame yourself, and will go to any lengths to protect others. Is this not true?"

Griff's eyes widened in shock. "How did you know that?" he half-shouted. "I didn't even tell Tasha!" The young man brandished his swallow, glaring at Sydney. The blonde man's face remained unchanged. "Do you really mean to kill me, Gideon?" asked Sydney. "It won't accomplish anything." It was then that Ashley stepped forward, weapon still drawn. "Sydney Losstarot, I place you under arrest, pending trial in Parliament headquarters."

Sydney smirked. "And how do you plan to take me there, Riskbreaker?" Ashley fell silent, unable to answer. He sheathed his scimitar, not taking his eyes off Sydney. "When this matter is sorted out, I'm going to take you into custody." Sydney raised his eyebrows. "Fair enough, although you may wish to decide where to go from here, for a start." Sora stepped forward, sweat beading down his noble-brown hair. "If the Heartless are back, then it's a strong possibility there are worlds that are in danger. We have to save them, if we can."

"I agree," said Leon, drawing the attention of the others. "As the Keybearer, it's your duty to defend worlds on the brink of destruction." Donald scratched his head. "How are we going to get there, though?" he asked.

Sydney laughed softly. "Just because you think you've traveled to every world, doesn't mean that there aren't more of them. Getting there might simply require another path." That said, Sydney turned away from them, exposing the ornate tattoo on his back. It looked like an "X," but had another line dividing it in half vertically. The man walked away, leaving the others standing in bewilderment. "So, what now?" asked Tasha.

"We try to save the worlds," answered Griff.

*********

High above, from the top of the doors leading into District Three, a man clad lightly in armor watched them. He stroked his goatee, the color slightly darker than his short, brownish-blonde hair. His earring glinted in the moonlight, as did the rapier at his side. Romeo Guildenstern, captain of the Crimson Blades, crossed his arms. He turned to look at the two figures lying bound behind him. Both wore hoods over their heads, and lay still, unconscious. He jerked his head to the side, signaling to the soldiers standing watch over them. The Blades saluted, and gathered the captives in their arms. His lips curled into a slight smile.

"I've got you now, Sydney Losstarot…"

************

(And there is the villain of Vagrant Story, Romeo Guildenstern. I'm not going to reveal the identities of the captives _yet_, but I'm sure you'll figure it out in due time. I'm out. Later!)


	8. The Prophecy

****

Author's Note:

(It's me again! My laptop crashed, and it had all my plot-notes for this fic on it, thus explaining the muy-muy-lateness of this update. *Gets thumped on the head by Jenner*

Jenner: you're not Jar Jar, mate…

*Ryu grumbles* That was Jenner, my first character. He has a low tolerance for things like that…::mutters:: bloody Aussie…

Jenner: I heard that! ::draws his twin magnums and chases Ryu about the room::

Gaah! Enjoy the fic! O_O;;;)

****

Chapter Eight

******************

Sora kicked an empty drink can into the side of a garbage bin as he followed Griff and the others back to the Third District. The can spun and rattled as it hit the bin, and clanked as it bounced away. "The Gummi ships can't really help us if we don't know where we're going," Griff said, his hands in his pockets. "Yeah," Sora muttered in agreement, "but the longer we stay here, the quicker the other worlds will fall. We have to get out of Traverse Town."

"Then why not allow me to help, Keybearer?"

Sora spun around, summoning the keyblade to his hand. Griff followed suit, grasping his swallow in both hands. Tasha's claws immediately extended, squaring her stance as the group came face-to-face with none other than Sydney, carrying the same mysterious air as before. The blonde man raises his hands, shaking his head slowly. "That's twice this hour that I've been welcomed with steel. Put away your weapons. I guarantee you won't need them against me." Sora, Griff, and Tasha exchanged glances, and complied, ready to draw them again at a moment's notice.

Sydney walked toward them with an almost inhuman grace, his half-cape drifting gently behind him. "I can help you get to the source of this matter, Keybearer. I can guide you down the path that will lead you to the threatened worlds." To this, Tasha cocked her head slightly. "What's in it for you? How do we know you can be trusted? From what I've seen, you know just a _little _too much about people. What gives?"

"I have my own agenda regarding this matter, Miss Aurin," replied Sydney in a casual tone. "Lea' Monde disappeared suddenly. There weren't any of those creatures you see scuttling about this small town. From what I understand, these 'Heartless,' as you call them, devour a world's heart by infesting it until they consume everything within. What if that world were already steeped in darkness? Would that explain their absence? That is why I wish to aid you."

"That still doesn't explain the fact that you can read our pasts like an open book," Sora spoke up. Sydney raised a hand in a gesture of apology. "Lea' Monde has the power to give people certain abilities wrought from the dark. Some, like myself, can look into the hearts of others, into their pasts, as you said. Others gain the ability to see things that most would wish to keep hidden."

Griff's attention was suddenly drawn to the sky, where a multitude of stars twinkled against the darkness that was night. A single star appeared different from the others, and Griff focused on it. The celestial body shimmered, and suddenly winked out. Unbeknownst to him, the others had witnessed this too. "Time is short, Keybearer," said Sydney, "and it grows shorter still. Will you accept my offer?"

Sora appeared hesitant, but finally nodded his head. "You're right. Worlds are suffering, and I'm not supposed to allow that. Take us to the worlds, Sydney. Help us stop this." A slight smile crossed Sydney's features, and he knelt to the ground, extending a clawed finger to the concrete. With a look of deep concentration, he traced a large circle on the surface, the shape burning itself into the ground as his finger passed. He continued to draw four triangles, each one pointing to the four winds. Within the square shaped by the triangles, he carved a glyph surrounded by characters strongly resembling those on his back. Sydney stood to his feet, extended his palm toward the central glyph, and began to chant.

"_To the four winds, I ask,_

To be granted with flight

Through the world between worlds

With the performance of this rite.

Wind of North, Wind of South,

Wind of East, and Wind of West,

Do my bidding, or send me to my eternal rest!"

The strange circle glowed an eerie, blood-red color before a column of light shone upward, dissipating after it reached Sydney's height. The four of them stepped into the portal, and vanished in a flash of crimson light.

***************

From high above, glowing blue eyes watched as the foursome disappeared. Light footsteps reached the owner's ears, causing him to turn his head and look behind him. A tall brunette approached, clad in pink. Cloud turned his head back to the glowing circle. "They're gone," he said in his usual tone. "The question is, will they succeed in spite of the burden they carry?" Aerith stood beside him, a question forming in her mind. "What burden? They all look strong enough to handle whatever the Heartless throw at them." Cloud shook his head. "Remember what I told you about Griff's heart being unstable? Merlin told me about it in a prophecy not long ago. It said,

There will come the presence of one

Who is born of both dark and light.

He will bear midnight upon his head,

And the ocean in his eyes.

He will be marked with an open channel to his heart,

Where his turmoil lies,

Turning the tide of dark

By using the dark within."

Aerith ran through the prophecy over and over in her mind, trying to piece it together. "You think it's really about Griff?" Cloud shrugged. "It all fits. 'He will bear midnight upon his head, and the ocean in his eyes.' Griff's hair is colored like the night sky, not quite black, and not quite blue. His eyes look like sea foam. The line about 'an open channel to his heart' tells about the scar. It's _right_ over his heart, and then some. Do you follow me?"

Aerith's response was interrupted by the sudden arrival of Leon, looking about with a concerned expression. He met their gaze and asked, "Has anyone seen Yuffie?"

*****************

Yuffie Kisaragi opened her eyes. She saw nothing but blackness. For a moment, she wondered if she had lost her sight, until she realized that there was a burlap sack on her head. The cold stone floor on which she sat sent shivers up her spine, and caused a few fibers of the sack to find their way to her nose. Try as she might, she couldn't fight the ensuing sneeze that echoed in the seemingly empty room.

"Well, it looks like one's awake."

The gruff voice was followed by the scraping of a wooden chair across the stone floor, accompanied by clanking footsteps. A large hand pulled away the sack, exposing Yuffie to a room made entirely of stone. A decorative stone column stood in the middle, against which Yuffie was bound. The man who had taken Yuffie's "blindfold" away had chiseled features in addition to a rough beard. "Did you have a good sleep?" he said mockingly. His breath reeked of strong liquor, causing Yuffie to visibly cringe. At this, the man smiled a broad, toothy smile.

"Try brushing your teeth once in a while," Yuffie muttered. The guard growled, and backhanded Yuffie hard across the face. The ninja was suddenly swept up in a swirl of colors, all of which slowly began to clear. Yuffie felt a bit of moisture on her face where the soldier's gauntlet had struck, and it didn't take her very long to realize that it was blood. The smell of iron dominated her nostrils as a draft blew the smell across her nose.

"Bite your tongue, woman," the soldier bellowed, "or I'll--"

"That will be enough of that, Brother Jecob."

The new voice came from another man in the room, previously blocked from Yuffie's view. He'd been quiet until now, but his voice carried a definite tone of authority. "The Crimson Blades, drunken or no, never strike a woman. Ye are a stain on the escutcheon of our order."

The soldier who'd hit Yuffie suddenly gaped in surprise. Standing erect, Jecob stammered an apology. "F-father Doyle! I-I--" The other man shook his head. "I don't want to hear your excuses, Jecob. If I see you lay hands on a woman again, you will answer to God, because I myself will send you to meet him. Is that understood?" Jecob nodded stiffly. Doyle motioned with his head to the door, indicating that he wanted Jecob to follow. Without a word, Jecob obeyed.

Yuffie was somewhat relieved when the two Blades departed. A single drop of blood fell from her face, landing on her shirt. She looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of her reflection in something, and saw her shuriken propped against the wall by the table. She saw herself on its polished surface, and confirmed that there was indeed a cut on her right cheek. A thin line of red trailed down her jaw, releasing another drop of blood onto her shirt. There was a soft ruffling sound behind her on the opposite side of the pillar, followed by a feminine-sounding groan.

"You awake?" asked Yuffie. "Yes, but I can't see," came the reply. So, there was another captive besides herself, and it seemed as though the individual was also hindered by a blindfold. "We're in some kind of house made of stone," said Yuffie. "We're strapped to a pillar in the center of what I think is the family room." As she said this, Yuffie fidgeted with the ropes that bound her to the pillar. _Gawd, I wish I'd paid more attention to the lecture on untying knots…!_

Yuffie tried to maneuver her fingers into her back pocket, where she'd always kept a tiny throwing knife for luck. Her fingertips grazed the end of it, but wouldn't close on it. She silently cursed herself at her situation. The other captive spoke up. "Since it doesn't seem like we will be leaving anytime soon, we may as well try to make conversation. What is your name?" Yuffie leaned her head back against the pillar, exhaling in a frustrated sigh. "Yuffie Kisaragi. What about you?"

"VKP Inquisitor Callo Merlose."

***************

(Well! It seems as though we've uncovered the identities of the two captives a bit earlier than I'd originally planned, but hey. It's all good.)

(Jenner: *from beneath a Full-Nelson pin maneuver and choke-hold* aww, shut it, you….)


End file.
